


Not The Scout

by caitlesshea



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, M/M, Surfers, Tumblr, episode coda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:48:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 3,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21994738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea
Summary: A collection of Tumblr prompt fills, episode codas, fics, etc...
Relationships: Deran Cody/Adrian Dolan
Comments: 14
Kudos: 53





	1. yes

**Author's Note:**

> We did a thing. @ires-posts and I wrote this collab of our boys. It’s set between 3x11-3x12. This has been so much fun and I’ve never enjoyed writing about D&A more! Hope you like it!
> 
> Check out Part 2 - https://ires-posts.tumblr.com/post/178684245867/yes-part-2

Part 1

Deran’s a mess. He can’t quiet the thoughts in his head. Between Pope and Marco and goddamn Smurf. He can’t believe he lost it on her. He needs to get out of here. He’s so wound up. And his chest is killing him.

“I’m out," he says to Craig, as he heads towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Craig asks him.

“Anywhere," he snaps back.

Craig holds his hands up in surrender, “Okay dude."

“Sorry. I just…have to get out of here," he finally says.

Craig nods to him and he books it to his van. His hands are shaking so hard he can barely turn the key. He pulls out his phone. He needs Adrian. He knows he promised to keep him out of the loop if he could help it, but he doesn’t think he’ll be able to get a handle on himself if he doesn’t.

He’s too wound up to text, so he finds the right contact info and hits “call”.

“Hey man," Adrian says when he picks up. Deran releases a breath. Just the sound of his voice has him calming down, a little.

“Adrian," he chokes out. Dammit. He was supposed to be calm.

Adrian’s immediately alert, “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I… shit. I need you," he finally gets out.

“Where are you?” Adrian asked him. Adrian’s voice softens and he can imagine his small smile. It helps.

“Leaving Smurf’s," he spits out.

“I’ll meet you at the bar in twenty." Adrian says.

“Thank you," he gets out, as they hang up. He still feels like he can’t breathe. He doesn’t know if it’s the adrenaline or the gunshot. He shakes his head, concentrating on the drive back to his bar.

He pulls up and sees Adrian waiting outside for him. He gets out and in quick strides he reaches him and pulls him into a hug. It’s the only thing that calms his racing heart. He feels Adrian hug him back and when he leans into him, he can’t help the wince.

Adrian pulls back, “Deran?” He asks with concern.

He doesn’t know if he can get the words out, so he tugs him inside, into the back room, his only place of solace.

He sits on the couch and goes to light a cigarette. Adrian lets him, knowing that Deran will talk when he’s ready.

“What happened?” Adrian finally asks him once the silence starts dragging. It’s not uncomfortable, but sometimes Deran needs the push. He leans against the doorjamb, but he moves further into the room to lean against the desk.

“Nothing," Deran says back as he finishes the cigarette.

“Bullshit man," Adrian says back.

Deran takes a deep breath, and winces again. Adrian notices.

“You’re hurt?” Adrian says as he comes over to him. He squats down in front of Deran and puts his hands on Deran’s knees.

“No, I’m fine," Deran says back, with little conviction.

Adrian just raises an eyebrow. He goes to lift Deran’s tank top, but Deran tenses.

“Let me," Adrian whispers. Deran relents, noting the familiarity of those words.

Adrian gets the tank top up and although he hasn’t seen the bruise himself, he can feel it, and he knows that it isn’t pretty.

“Shit," Adrian breathes, “What happened?”

“Nothing,” he says again, stubbornly. He can feel Adrian’s fingers prodding at the bruise. It makes him shiver.

“Not nothing." Adrian mumbles.

“I was wearing a vest." Deran whispers.

Adrian reels back. He’s staring at him so intently that Deran feels himself squirming under the scrutiny.

“A vest." Adrian deadpans. “As in a gunshot?” Adrian asks, although Deran is pretty sure it’s rhetorical. Deran nods. He sees Adrian’s eyes harden. And then Adrian gets up and walks out of the room.

“Adrian?” He calls after him. He’s too tired to move and he doesn’t know where Adrian went. He doesn’t think that he left though, because he can hear some rummaging, so he might be in the kitchen. _As long as he didn’t leave_ , he thinks.

Adrian finally comes back with a makeshift ice pack. He walks right up to Deran and presses the ice against his chest, hard enough to hurt. And it’s so cold that it stings.

“Ow, man. Jesus." Deran grits out through clenched teeth. Adrian just looks at him.

“C’mon man, it’s not that bad," Deran tries again. Adrian’s still glaring at him. He goes to light another cigarette, but Adrian takes it from him and then grabs the whole pack and throws it towards the trash can. He still hasn’t said anything. Damn, he hasn’t seen this version of Adrian’s icy blue eyes in a while.

“Adrian," he pleads, “Say something."

It must have been the tone in his voice because suddenly Adrian’s up and standing over him.

“A gunshot. A fucking gunshot!” Adrian yells, a shrill edge to his voice.

“It wasn’t...” he starts to say.

“Bullshit. Don’t bullshit me, Deran." Adrian says back with a hardened voice.

“Smurf man," Deran says as he shakes his head.

He sees Adrian’s eyes narrow. He swallows. He knows that nothing good will come from this conversation. Adrian hates Smurf, and he knows it. Although he’s never seen him quite this mad before. He sees Adrian cross his arms across his chest and then he’s glaring at him.

“It’s a long story," Deran says.

“I got nothing but time man," Adrian says. He still hasn’t moved from his stance. Deran sighs and puts the ice pack back on his chest. He really could use another cigarette. But he’s not willing to tempt Adrian’s temper any more than he already has.

“Well let’s just say Smurf started a shootout with Baz’ girlfriend over some stolen property," Deran starts. Adrian just glares at him, so he continues.

“Pope got lost in the shuffle and they took him. Before we figured out he was gone I got hit. In the vest and well…” He spreads his arms around to show that he’s here now.

“Shit," Adrian breathes and runs his fingers through his hair, “Where’s Pope? Is he okay?”

“Yeah. Smurf got him back. I saw him before I called you," Deran says, and thinks it’s just like Adrian to ask how Pope is, even when he’s mad at Deran.

Deran looks at him. Adrian’s got his mouth open. Then he shuts it. He watches as Adrian starts pacing. Back and forth, back and forth. He can almost feel the agitation.

“Adrian." Deran tries again.

“No." Adrian says vehemently. Deran pouts. It’s not like Adrian to shut him out.

“No." Adrian says again when he sees Deran’s face. He’s still pacing.

“You could’ve been killed.: Adrian states.

“I…” Deran tries to say.

“Or taken." Adrian’s on a roll now.

“I didn’t...” Deran tries again.

“By the fucking cartel Deran!” Adrian yells. Right, he forgot he had once told Adrian who Lucy was and what she did.

“I know…” Deran’s at a loss now. Everything Adrian says is true.

“Do you even realize how serious this is?!” Adrian practically screams.

“I do." Deran says, but without conviction.

“Do you?” Adrian pushes into Deran’s space.

“Yes. Jesus." Deran says. He tries to tug Adrian down next to him, but he isn’t budging.

“I don’t think you do." Adrian says. Adrian reaches out and grabs his chin, forcing him to look into Adrian’s eyes.

“She’s gunna get you killed one day." Adrian says, quiet this time.

“She’s not…” Deran says, but he can’t even finish the sentence. He shakes his head instead.

“I’m sorry, okay." Deran says in response. Adrian picks up the ice pack from the floor, that he apparently dropped, and puts it back on his chest. He finally sits next to Deran.

Deran takes one of his hands, he squeezes it. “I’m okay," Deran tries reassuring Adrian. He hears Adrian sigh.

“This is not okay Deran." Adrian says.

“I know." Deran whispers. He hates that he upset Adrian. That he scared Adrian. He runs his fingers through his hair.

“I lost it on her." Deran says.

“Lost it?” Adrian asks.

“Yeah on Smurf. She got us into this mess, none of us wanted to be involved, but we had no choice. And then we didn’t know if Pope was dead or alive, and I…” Deran trails off.

“You didn’t want to lose another brother," Adrian finishes for him. One of the things he loves about Adrian. He just gets him.

“Yeah." He breathes out. For what feels like the first time in hours.

“I got in her face. Screamed at her, that this was on her if he died. Jesus. Can’t believe I did that." Deran says, still in a little bit of shock.

Adrian chuckles, “Bet that felt good."

“Yeah. Just glad he’s back," Deran says, and he is. Pope might be, Pope, but he doesn’t think he can bury another brother.

Adrian brings a hand up to rub the back of his neck. It’s comforting, and he leans into it.

“I’m still pissed at you," Adrian says, when he feels Deran relaxing.

“I know," Deran says. Because he does. He can’t even imagine what he would feel like if he were on the receiving end of this. The freaked-out phone call, the bruises from bullets. Well he does. He’d be freaking out.

Adrian takes the ice pack and runs his hand over the bruise on his pec. “It’s pretty gnarly," Adrian says.

“Yeah. Hurts like a bitch," Deran laughs, then winces, “Jesus.”

Adrian’s hand is moving up and down his back while the other keeps tracing the bruise. There’s pressure but not enough to hurt.


	2. you're the only one I wanna wake up next to

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for @allthehearteyes

Deran rolls over on their, no wait, _his_ bed, and sighs. Adrian left two months ago. No, that’s not right. He _let_ Adrian leave two months ago and he hates it. Hates himself.

The memory of Adrian walking away as he sunk down on the wet pier keeps playing on a loop in his mind. It’s like a broken record that won’t shut off. He barely functions, with Pope running the bar more often than not, and Craig showing up to yell at him some more. He’s just about had enough of J’s attitude to say ‘fuck it’ and really leave it all behind.

Except, he should’ve done that already. He should’ve gone with Adrian.

He feels the bed dip next to him, and he’s momentarily frozen, until he feels Adrian’s warm arm come around his stomach.

“Adrian?” Deran barely gets out before he’s being turned around and held in Adrian’s arms.

“Shh.” Adrian whispers against Deran’s lips, eyes so blue in the early morning light.

“What are you…” Deran can barely get out before Adrian’s claiming his lips for a soft, sweet kiss. Sweeter than they’ve ever shared.

“ **You’re the only one I wanna wake up next to.”** Adrian says as he claims his lips again, this time the kiss more bruising.

Before Deran can respond he hears a loud beeping next to his head. He groans and nearly throws his phone against the glass as he rubs the sleep from his eyes. He pushes away the lingering affects of the dream, determined today to actually get out of bed.

He swings his legs over the edge, carefully avoiding Adrian’s pillow. After all, it’s cold now, with no head to lay on it.


	3. 4x06 Coda

“Marry me.” Deran freezes at Adrian’s words.

“What?”

“Marry me. So I don’t have to testify against you.” Adrian whispers to him, voice barely loud enough to be heard over the water. Deran backs away slowly, his head almost directly under the water now.

He doesn’t quite know how he ends up with his back to the tiles but he sinks down onto the shower floor.

“Deran? Deran?!” Adrian says loudly as he shakes Deran’s shoulders. Deran flinches and Adrian backs away instinctively.

“I killed him.” Deran whispers and looks up at Adrian. “I killed Colby because he was threatening you and blackmailing me about it, saying Pope would…” Deran’s breath catches and he leans his head down letting the water run through his hair and onto his back.

“I didn’t say anything to them about you or your family.”

Deran startles when Adrian sits down next to him on the shower floor but he reaches for Adrian’s hand and brings it into his lap.

“We’ll get you out of this.” Deran says resolved. “I just…”

“He was your friend.” Adrian whispers as he leans his forehead onto Deran’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I put us in this position. I’m sorry I lied.”

“Are you lying now?” Deran asks, knowing already that even if Adrian is lying it won’t change a thing.

“No.”

“Then yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes. I’ll marry you.” 


	4. one-word prompts

**1\. Picture**

Deran feels like he can’t breathe. He told Adrian he couldn’t leave with him and for what? This? An empty house, a fucked up family, a body buried in the desert.

_You’re the worst thing that ever happened to me._

The words still cut like a knife, even all these weeks later.

He feels the walls closing in on him as he slumps to the floor. He can’t sleep in their bed, he can’t shower in their shower, he can’t even drink Adrian’s favorite beer that’s in their fridge. The memories are too fresh. The wound is too deep.

He leans his head against the wall and stares at the one thing he can stand to look at. A **picture** of him surfing, gifted to him by Adrian the last time he left.

Only that time, he said he’d be back.

**2\. Sleeve**

Adrian looks in the mirror at the finished product and sighs. He wasn’t sure what tattoo he was going to get when he walked into the small shop but it makes sense now.

On his left shoulder sits a black and white tattoo. A half **sleeve** creeping up towards his neck.

The Cody Family Crest, in all its glory. A matching one to the one on Deran’s wrist.

The artist had looked at him like he was crazy but decided to tattoo him anyways.

This way, while he’s stuck on this island, for however long it takes, he can remember why he’s here.

He can remember who he _loved_ to put him here.

He can never escape.


	5. one-word prompts (2)

**1\. Lie**

“ **Lie** to me.”

“D.”

“Adrian, please. Lie to me.”

“I thought the whole point of me disappearing was so that I _actually_ disappeared?”

“It was - ”

“You can’t keep calling.”

“I know. I just, please Adrian.”

“I never loved you.” Adrian whispers quietly into the phone and Deran sighs, the pain in his chest easing momentarily.

“I love you, too.”

**2\. Break**

He didn’t think it would be this hard. He’s buried a body in the desert for Christ’s sake. Hell, he buried his mother after his nephew shot her in the head. He remembers scrubbing the blood of his hands and feeling nothing.

But this, this **breaks** him. Coming home to an empty house, an empty bed. His first night back since watching Adrian walk away on that pier. He’s been staying at Craig’s, helping with the baby, giving him something to do.

He wants to move, he wants to smash things, he wants to burn The Drop to the ground.

Both things in his life that he did to go legit, both things he did in his life for Adrian, gone.

He walks to their room, looks at their bed, with their mismatched sheets and Adrian’s pillow still smooshed from where he folds it under his head and bypasses it for the window.

Staring out at the ocean, it’s his only semblance of peace.


	6. prompt fill (1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theredandwhitequeen asked:  
> #39 for Deran/Adrian - 39. “Please come home, I miss you.”

Deran isn’t sure what makes him finally dial Adrian’s number. Well, that’s not true. He _knows_. He just doesn’t want to think about it.

He doesn’t want to think about how long it’s been. One year. It’s been one year since Adrian left him on the pier. Well, that’s not entirely true. Adrian only left because Deran refused to go with him.

Some twisted sense of loyalty to a family he can’t escape.

He holds the phone up to his ear and it just rings and rings and rings. He wonders briefly if Adrian got a new phone and ditched the one Deran had given him but he knows that’s not true.

It rings until it goes to voicemail and Deran can’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t piss Adrian off. He’s about to hang up when he decides to be brave.

Something Adrian once told him he was when he was on the water.

**“Please come home, I miss you.”**


	7. prompt fill (2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> #25 for D & A , thank u. - 25. “You’re mine. I don’t share.”

“I don’t like him.” Adrian says after Billy finally leaves and they start getting dressed.

“Who? Billy? Me neither.” Deran scoffs as he takes a drag of his cigarette.

“No.” Adrian looks at Deran. “Linc.”

“That’s nothing.”

“Oh?”

“Seriously. It’s just - ”

**“You’re mine**.” Adrian looks at Deran as he walks closer, determination etched into his features. **“I don’t share.”**

“Really?” Deran huffs a laugh as he pulls Adrian closer by his belt loops.

“Really.”

Adrian kisses him, bites Deran’s lip to make him moan. It’s a big declaration for them, having been skirting around their feelings since they were teenagers.

Adrian pulls back to look at Deran, so he can see how serious he is. It works.

“Okay.”


	8. prompt fill (3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> Walk out that door and we’re through for a/d

**“Walk out that door and we’re through.”**

Deran pauses and turns to look at Adrian, who’s standing stoic and unmoving.

“What?”

“You heard me.” Adrian scoffs. “You ship me to this god forsaken island and leave me here for _months_ , with no contact, no interaction, nothing. And then you have the _audacity_ to show up here and demand something from me. No. I’m done. If you leave, don’t ever come back.”

“Adrian.” Deran chokes out, unsure of himself and the situation they find themselves in.

“No. I can’t keep doing this. I need to move on. You need to move on. I can’t ever go back, so there’s no point in keeping this going.”

“There’s always a point.”

“No there isn’t.”

“I’ll stay.” Deran wasn’t even sure this was going to be his decision until he said it, but now that it’s out there he doesn’t want to take it back. He walks up to Adrian and pulls him close.

“I’ll stay.”


	9. prompt fill (4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> I hooe you accept my request, “You’re so fucking hot when you’re mad” for D/A

Deran makes his way up the berm towards the little beach bungalow where Adrian lives. Where they both _should_ be living.

It’s beautiful, secluded, and right on the water. A paradise if he’s ever seen one. It’s perfect for Adrian, for them.

“No.”

Adrian stands outside with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. He’s beautiful, his hair is long and tinged with more red than Deran’s ever seen it, and he _wants_.

“Adrian.”

“No. You can’t just show up here after months of silence. After staying and expecting me to welcome you with open arms.”

“C’mon, man, just hear me out.”

“I don’t need to hear you out! I know how this goes. The same way it’s been going since we were kids! You show up, get your dick sucked, and you leave. Well no. Not today!”

**“You’re so fucking hot when you’re mad.”**

This pauses Adrian’s rant and he looks at Deran with wild eyes until he’s rushing to Deran and pulling him into a bruising kiss.

It’s all teeth and tongue and Deran’s positive he’s tasting blood, but he doesn’t stop kissing Adrian.

They’re pushing and pulling and finally, finally, Deran gets his hands on Adrian’s skin and then he’s sinking into the feeling of home like it’s the first time all over again.

Thank god the bungalow’s private.


	10. prompt fill (5)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> 28 make me for deran and adrian

“I really don’t want to do this.” Deran squints out into the water, looking at the large waves.

“C’mon, you’re going to be great.” 

“Define great?”

“D, you’re the best surfer I know. I know it’s Pipeline, but you got this.” Adrian says with confidence that Deran does not feel. 

“I don’t know about that.”

“Seriously man, you can do this.” 

“Yeah? You gonna **make me**?” Deran smirks, pleased at the blush Adrian starts sporting. 

“Why don’t you win and you’ll find out what I’m going to do.” Adrian says, the cheeky asshole, as he saunters off in his wetsuit, leaving Deran to stare after him. 

Guess he’s winning this thing.


	11. prompt fill (6)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> Where do you think you’re going

“I can’t do this anymore!” Adrian yells, for what seems like the hundredth time since they started this conversation.

“I’m sorry.” Deran says through the line, breath hitching in a way it never does.

“I lost everything D, everything.”

“I know. I know.”

“I need you to stop calling.”

“I can’t -”

“I need to move on.” 

All Adrian can hear is static through the phone and then a shout from either Pope or Craig of **‘Where do you think you’re going?’** and Deran’s gruff response of ‘Where I should’ve always been,’ and Adrian freezes.

“Deran?”

“I’ll see you soon.”

Then the line goes dead.


	12. prompt fill (7)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> You can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen, cause guess what? It did!

**“You can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen, cause guess what? It did.”** Adrian yells at Deran, anger coursing through him.

“I fucked up, okay? You think I don’t know that?!”

Adrian feels like throwing something. They only speak once a week, and their phone calls are always fraught with tension.

But this week the dam broke. Deran let slip a job they were pulling using one of Adrian’s old dealers and Adrian snapped.

“You’re going to get yourself killed Deran.” Adrian says quietly after a moment.

“Better me than you.” Deran’s gruff voice answers. “Remember that the next time you try to contact Colby.”


	13. prompt fill (8)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:  
> Just leave me alone for deran

“C’mon Adrian! It’s not that big!”

“No. I don’t want to do it.”

“You’re better than me, man. You have too.” Deran nearly shoves Adrian towards the water.

“No.”

“Adrian. C’mon.”

“Just leave me alone!” Adrian yells and Deran freezes. They’ve yelled at each other before but never like this.

“Adrian.” Deran placates. “The wipe out wasn’t even that bad. You’re the best surfer I know.”

Adrian looks up at him, squinting in the sun, like he can’t believe Deran just said that.

“Really?”

“Yeah man. You’re way better than me.”

Adrian smiles as he grabs his board to head back towards the waves. He turns around and winks at Deran.

And yeah, that does it for him. Deran follows Adrian into the water. This is just the start.


End file.
